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What's a Cocktail

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The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines cocktail as “an iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavouring ingredients" and Wikipedia says “A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink, which is either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as fruit juice, flavoured syrup, or cream”. For a layman, "cocktail" is simply mixing different alcoholic beverages with ice and cold drinks or juices, but it’s actually much more than that. Cocktail making is an art and the combination of the right quantities of the right drinks results in a rocking cocktail.

A famous story about "cocktail" is that the word itself is derived from a rooster’s tail or cocktail which was served as a colonial garnished drink. Few other stories mention the origin of cocktail during the 17th century in New York City by a character named ‘Betty Flanagan’ in the novel, ‘The Spy’ written by James Fenimore Cooper. No matter what and when the origin of cocktail is, but it is for sure a drink enjoyed by people of every age group around the world. Across the continents, people have created their own versions of cocktails made from the local drinks, fruits, etc. No wonder, today there are hundreds of varieties available to sip and immerse in the heavenly flavors of a cocktail.

Cocktail – Do's and Don'ts

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If you are a James Bond fan, then you would know that he likes his martinis shaken not stirred. Making a good cocktail and drinking it in the right manner is quite important to get the right blend, flavor and kick. While making a cocktail with juice as one of the ingredients, you need to mix it readily so that the alcoholic beverage and juices blend together properly. A stirred cocktail is more alcohol driven as the alcohol hasn’t diluted properly before it goes into your body, thus needs to be handled carefully.

Stronger doesn’t mean better in terms of a cocktail, after all you want to enjoy sipping your cocktail and only a well balanced cocktail will let itself give you the refreshing feel for a longer time. Don’t mix a bit too much of ice as it will dilute the drink and hence the proper ratio of the cocktail will be skewed. Don’t muddle all the ingredients alike, but muddle the delicate components like fresh herbs such as mint, etc. easily and the harder ingredients like lime wedges can be muddled harder. Don’t forget to buy a nice set of cocktail glasses before the party, as presentation does matter and a nice drink served in a cocktail glass shows your taste and choice. Don’t use bad ice (2-3 days old) as it may give a strong smell of the freezer, instead use fresh ice (7-8 hours before the party) and definitely don’t buy cheap liquor as it will spoil the taste and blend of your cocktail.

Best Cocktails for Summer

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Though there are dozens of refreshing cocktails for summer and everyone has their own brand and choice when it comes to the best cocktails for summer. But, we have tried to pick some of the most popular and rejuvenating cocktails for summer which can be tried on a sultry summer evening.

Margarita

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Margarita was invented in Mexico, when USA banned alcohol inside its borders during 1920 to 1933 and people from US would visit Mexico in search of liquor. It was called Daisy in Mexico as ‘Margarita’ translates to 'Daisy' in Spanish; once the ban was lifted, these thirsty Americans brought it back to US and since then it started gaining popularity worldwide. To prepare Margarita, you can:

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml silver tequila
  • 30 ml Cointreau
  • 30 ml lime juice
  • Coarse salt

Instructions:

  • Take a clean cocktail glass, rub lime juice to its rim and then dip it in coarse salt so that the salt sticks to its edges.
  • Put 2-3 ice-cubes into the cocktail glass.
  • Add Cointreau, tequila, lime juice and few ice cubes together in a cocktail shaker and shake nicely.
  • Strain the cocktail into the glass over ice cubes and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Long Island Iced Tea

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There are two theories about the birthplace of Long Island Iced Tea – the first one suggests that it was invented in Long Island, New York while the believers in the other story claim that it arrived from Long Island, Kingston, Tennessee. No matter, which story is true but the fact is that it’s a strong cocktail and should be handled with care. You would require:

Ingredients:

  • 15 ml vodka
  • 15 ml gin
  • 15 ml white rum
  • 15 ml silver tequila
  • 15 ml Cointreau
  • 20 ml lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp simple juice
  • 20 ml Mexican coke

Instructions:

  • To start the preparation, shake all the ingredients except Mexican Coke in a shaker.
  • Strain them into a Collins glass over ice cubes, top it with coke and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Classic Strawberry Daiquiri

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A cocktail for the strawberry lovers, Strawberry Daiquiri doesn’t use ice for the chill but frozen strawberries which makes the drink smooth.

Ingredients:

  • 120 ml light rum
  • ½ cup fresh strawberries (chopped nicely)
  • 300 ml frozen strawberries (chopped)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Lime wedges for garnishing

Instructions:

  • Add rum, frozen strawberries and lime juice into a blender and blend smoothly.
  • Now pour in two cocktail glasses and garnish with chopped strawberries and lime wedges.

Mojito

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If you know a little bit about cocktails, chances are that you have heard about Mojito which is one of the most refreshing cocktail drinks for summers and was invented in the 16th century. The little sweet, citrus fresh and bright mint flavors give the earthen smell for which it’s liked by millions across the globe.

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml white rum
  • 15 ml lime juice
  • 1 tsp superfine sugar
  • 3-4 mint leaves
  • Club soda

Instructions:

  • In a small Collins glass, mix lime juice with 1 tsp sugar, now add mint leaves while muddling them against the side of the glass.
  • Now fill ⅔ of the glass with ice cubes and pour the rum slowly onto the cubes.
  • Garnish with 2-3 sliced lime wedges and top off with club soda.

Rum Sunset

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Rum Sunset has as soothing a taste as tempting as it looks, orange and tangy.

Ingredients:

  • 350 ml orange juice
  • 90 ml light rum
  • 2 tsp grenadine
  • A few lime slices for garnishing

Instructions:

  • Firstly, mix the orange juice and rum and keep aside ⅓ of this mix.
  • Now pour the remaining ⅔ of the orange juice mixture into 2 ice-filled cocktail glasses and set them aside.
  • Take the previous ⅓ mixture of orange juice and rum and mix 2 tsp grenadine.
  • Slowly pour this mixture equally into each of the glasses (with the orange juice and rum) so that this thick mixture settles at the bottom of the glasses.
  • Now garnish this beautiful cocktail with lime wedges and serve chilled.

Painkiller

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This powerful rum cocktail gives a healing touch during the desperate times, but a word of caution – you should handle the drink with care. Painkiller is a balanced drink with a citric tang and a sweet, bright rum layered over creamy coconut.

Ingredients:

  • 90 ml dark or gold rum
  • 75 ml pineapple juice
  • 30 ml orange juice
  • 30 ml coconut cream

Instructions:

  • This is one of the easiest cocktails which can be prepared at home.
  • Shake all the ingredients well with ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
  • Strain into a hurricane glass with few cubes of ice in it.
  • Finally garnish with grated nutmeg.
  • You can keep 1-2 wedges of pineapple and orange before serving to complete the presentation.

Mermaid Lemonade

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A tropical cocktail which will make you feel as if you are floating with mermaids (pun intended)!

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup blue curacao
  • 2 cup ice
  • 1 cup white rum
  • 2 cup lemonade
  • 4 lemon slices
  • 8 maraschino cherries

Instructions:

  • Take 4 cocktail glasses and pour the ice cubes equally in them.
  • Add a splash of blue curacao, ¼ cup rum and another ¼ cup of ice.
  • Pour ½ cup lemonade to give the final tinge to the drink.
  • Skewer 2 maraschino cherries and a lemon slice on a paper umbrella and garnish the drinks before serving.

Sangria

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Sangria, the red blood colour drink is your perfect companion for a lazy afternoon as you guzzle down the refreshing cocktail with fruit punch which isn’t too hard for an afternoon drink.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle of red wine
  • ½ cup brandy
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup pomegranate juice
  • 2 cups sparkling water
  • ¼ cup simple syrup
  • Apple slices, orange slices, a few blackberries and pomegranate seeds

Instructions:

  • Stir all the ingredients in a pitcher and refrigerate the pitcher overnight.
  • Take out from the fridge before serving, garnish with orange wedge and serve chilled.

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas

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Watermelon for sure provides some respite from the scorching heat and this cocktail with a blend of frozen watermelon is a perfect drink for respite in summers.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • Lime wedge
  • 4 cup chopped watermelon
  • ½ cup silver tequila
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup triple sec
  • 4 lime slices
  • 4 watermelon slices

Instructions:

  • Place the chopped watermelon in a large tray and freeze for 2-3 hours or until it’s hardened.
  • Mix sugar, salt and lime zest on a small plate and stir to combine properly.
  • Wet the rim of the cocktail glasses using lime wedge and then dip the glass rims in salt mixture.
  • Take the frozen watermelon, tequila, lime juice and triple sec in a blender and blend the mixture smooth.
  • Pour the drink into the rimmed glasses, garnish with a lemon and watermelon slice and serve fresh.

Rum Runner

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Rum Runner is more of a frozen slush drink which would give the feel of a tropical, sugar jammed and fruit packed cocktail.

Ingredients:

  • 30 ml light rum
  • 30 ml dark rum
  • 30 ml banana liqueur (sweetened spirits with various flavors, oils, and extracts added)
  • 30 ml blackberry liqueur
  • 30 ml pineapple juice
  • 30 ml orange juice
  • Splash grenadine

Instructions:

  • The easy to make cocktail requires shaking all the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
  • Then strain in a big cocktail glass over ice cubes and garnish with fresh fruits skewered in a paper umbrella.

Boozy Dole Whip

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This cocktail is a bit heavier on the coconut flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups frozen pineapple
  • ¾ cup coconut milk
  • ½ cup coconut rum
  • ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • Maraschino cherries
  • Pineapple slices

Instructions:

  • For making the cocktail blend coconut milk, rum, sweetened condensed milk and frozen pineapple in a blender.
  • Pour the mixture into a zip-lock bag and cut off a corner with a scissors.
  • Pour the cocktail into glasses over ice cubes.
  • Garnish with maraschino cherry and pineapple.

Daiquiri

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Ingredients:

  • 60 ml white rum
  • ½ tsp superfine sugar
  • 15 ml lemon juice

Instructions:

  • Take the lemon juice in the shaker, stir sugar in it and then add rum.
  • Shake well with ice cubes and strain in a cocktail glass, then serve with a slice of lime.
  • You can also use black rum instead of white, but then cut down on the sugar quantity.

Hurricane

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Ingredients:

  • 60 ml light rum
  • 90 ml dark rum
  • 180 ml passion fruit juice
  • 180 ml orange juice
  • 2 tsp grenadine
  • 2 orange slices
  • 2 maraschino cherries
  • Few cubes of ice

Instructions:

  • Take all the liquids in a big jug, add grenadine and combine well.
  • Now pour over glasses filled with ice cubes.
  • Garnish each glass with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.

Flamin' Hot Bloody Mary

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Bloody Mary is another very popular cocktail with vodka as the main alcoholic ingredient.

Ingredients:

For Rim:

  • ⅓ cup finely crushed flaming hot Cheetos
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 lime wedge

For Drink

  • 2 cup tomato juice
  • 210 ml vodka
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp horseradish
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Black pepper powder

For Garnish:

  • Pickle spears
  • Stalks celery
  • Lime wedges (3 pieces each)
  • Flaming hot Cheetos

Instructions:

  • Take crushed Cheetos and lime zest in a shallow plate and stir to combine.
  • Rub the lime wedge around the rims of the three glasses and then coat the rims with Cheetos mixture.
  • Take vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, horseradish and lime juice in a large pitcher and stir along with the pepper.
  • Now pour the Bloody Mary mixture into ice filled glasses.
  • Garnish with pickle spears, stalks celery, lime wedges and a few Cheetos and serve with straws.
Writer
Rahul Banerji
Rahul began his stint as a freelance writer after working in the corporate world for ten years. He enjoys writing on various topics and is an avid blogger. His interest in science, technology, politics, current affairs and the latest trends helps him to back his writing with well researched facts. Rahul finds solace in gadgets, nature and spirituality.

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Making Cocktails at Home is Easy

As would be evident by now mixing cocktails at home is pretty easy as the recipes are simple to follow, minimal equipment is needed and the only important thing to keep in mind is to have a well-stocked bar at home. Sooner rather than later you will realise that you have turned into an expert mixologist and are able to impress your friends with your great cocktail mixing skills. We hope you would have loved this BP Guide. Stay connected with us for more such engaging content.